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No deal for Steele?

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele waves goodbye after his speech Saturday bowing out of the RNC election.

I noted earlier Hotline's piece that former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele may have bowed out, because of a deal with former Bush official Maria Cino that would have given him a salary north of $224,500 a year, the salary of the RNC chairman.

But a GOP source tells First Read there was no deal. The source explains the logic of Steele's endorsement of Cino this way:

Reince Preibus stabbed him in the back. (Priebus was the general counsel under Steele and was Steele's campaign manager for RNC chairman in 2009.)

Michigan committeeman Saul Anuzis wasn't going to win.

Former Missouri party chairwoman Ann Wagner trashed Steele during the campaign.

But Cino did not, and Steele believed she had a path to victory with his support.

The only offer, according to the source, was to continue not to trash Steele and not make him a scapegoat.